Calibration of CR-39 for detecting fusion neutrons

Conference · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5750241

Collopy, M T; Carpenter, P; Harmon, C D; Vandenberg, J; Cooper, G W ^[1]; Ruiz, C L; Reyes, P; Stygar, W A; Schmidlapp, A ^[2]; Malbrough, D J; Becker, R ^[3]

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1. New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
2. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
3. General Electric Co., St. Petersburg, FL (United States)

We have measured the efficiency (tracks per incident neutron) of pure CR-39 for detecting deuterium-deuterium (DD)and deuterium-tritium (DT) neutrons. Neutrons having average energies of 2.9 MeV (DD) and 14.8 MeV (DT) were produced by a 200 keV electrostatic accelerator and the neutron yields were measured using the associated particle counting technique. All CR-39 samples irradiated by DD or DT neutrons were etched for two hours in a 70{degrees}, 6.25 {und N} NaOH bath. For bare CR-39, the efficiencies for detecting 2.9-MeV and 14.8-MeV neutrons were found to be (1.3 {plus minus} 0.4) {times} 10{sup {minus}4} and (5.0 {plus minus} 1.8) {times} 10{sup {minus}5} respectively. We also investigated using CR-39 and polyimide as proton radiators. For detecting 2.9-MeV neutrons, the radiators had no significant effect on efficiency; but for detecting 14.8 MeV neutrons the polyimide radiator increased the efficiency to (7.8 {plus minus} 2.8) {times} 10{sup {minus}5}.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 5750241
• Report Number(s): SAND-92-0063C; CONF-920362--2; ON: DE92009063
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

440102* -- Radiation Instrumentation-- Radiation Dosemeters
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
BARYONS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CALIBRATION
DETECTION
DEUTERIUM
DOSEMETERS
DOSIMETRY
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ETCHING
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
HYDROXIDES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NEUTRON DETECTION
NEUTRON DOSIMETRY
NEUTRONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEONS
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROCHEMICALS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLASTICS
RADIATION DETECTION
RADIOISOTOPES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
STABLE ISOTOPES
SURFACE FINISHING
SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
TRITIUM
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES